Falling
by roothlace
Summary: Steve and Traci are in danger of falling...maybe they already have
1. Chapter 1

_Rookie Blue_ doesn't belong to me

**Falling**

Steve Peck threw the file on his desk and stood up. He needed a fresh cup of coffee. Instead of going to the third floor as he usually did, he decided to go to a nearby café. He didn't need to see Traci Nash, not today, especially not now, feeling as he did.

When had this happened, when had Steve Peck developed such intense feelings for Traci Nash? He honestly could understand how it had happened. One moment he was sitting across from her as she talked about how much she missed Jerry, the next they were eating and laughing together at Frank and Noelle's wedding and somewhere in those weeks, she had started taking up a lot …too much… of his thoughts.

He thought of her all the time. Who was he kidding? Steve Peck was in danger of falling seriously in love with Traci Nash and all with her not having done a thing to encourage him. She had politely, and pointedly, told him that she was not interested in dating anyone right now, and he could understand where she was coming from, she had lost the man she loved a few months ago, and as far as he could tell, she was finally putting her life together, learning to live without Jerry. She obviously wasn't ready to date anyone but Steve couldn't help himself.

She was fascinating.

She was definitely the most fascinating woman he'd known in a long time. And the best thing about it was that she didn't even try.

000

Steve looked at the caller ID on his phone in shock. Traci was calling him. They were both on duty – don't ask how he knew that – so obviously it was work-related but she had finally called him.

She could have called any of the other detectives in Guns and Gangs but the fact she had called him in to help with the operation meant a lot to him. She obviously trusted his judgment and knew that he had her back. That was something, surely.

000

_Just keep walking_, Steve told himself, _keeping walking until you get out of the building._ Even as Steve repeated that mantra, he found himself walking towards Traci's office. _I'll just ask her if they broke the record, and then I'll walk out and go home, I won't ask her out again or even call her tonight. I'll just say goodnight._

He couldn't believe that Traci had actually asked him out.

"Yes," he told her, "yes is my answer."

000*****0000******00000*************0000000

Traci Nash couldn't believe it. Somehow, Steve Peck was starting to invade her thoughts. She wasn't sure when that had happened but she wasn't ready for another relationship. She was finally on track with her life; she was managing to live with the gap that Jerry's death had caused, she and Leo were finally in a good place. So she didn't need another man in her life and certainly not Steve Peck.

So why couldn't she stop thinking about him?

000

She had told him to his face that she wasn't interested in dating anyone now, Traci didn't like to be pretend, she liked things to clear and out in the open, especially since she had Leo to think about.

She had no space in her life for a man, not even one she liked as much as she did Steve Peck.

000

Traci couldn't believe Swarek had even refused to pick her calls. Surely whatever crisis McNally was going through couldn't justify his bailing on her and refusing even to take her calls and help her.

She looked at her phone even as an idea formed in her mind; she made the call quickly before she talked herself out of it.

000

Traci kept reliving the moment over and over. Surely she must have misheard. He hadn't said what she thought he had and she didn't want to ask him about it. Not that she had the time to do it with the arrest and booking of the gang members, and debriefing Frank about the operation.

Still…

He hadn't said what she thought he heard, she told herself finally, it was just wishful thinking. Okay, she would find him and have a celebratory drink with him; after all, he was one of the reasons that she had had the victory she'd had today. That's all, nothing more.

000

"That's interesting," Steve said. Traci looked at him in surprise. He couldn't be serious. As he continued to point out that he had pursued her for a while and was wondering about the implications of her only agreeing to a date after they'd nabbed a dangerous criminal, Traci could only smile, his wicked sense of humour was one of the many reasons Steve was taking up a lot of her thoughts.

"Short answers are good," she told him finally.

"Yes," Steve said. "Yes, is my answer."

Traci sighed in relief, while she hadn't really thought that Steve would say no, but it was good to hear him say yes.

000*****000000************000000000

"So are you thinking Loki or Lex Luthor?" Before Traci could reply Steve continued. "No, don't tell me, not good enough."

Traci laughed and without thinking about took his hand in hers and they walked towards the bar.

000


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

000

"So, second date in as many days."

Traci looked at Gail and shook her head. "It's not like that."

"Are you saying that you're not dating my brother?" Gail teased her. "Coz, he seems to think that you guys are dating."

"Well, I won't exactly call it dating," Traci said, "I mean we had a drink at the Penny yesterday and all you guys were there as well."

"Yes we were," Gail agreed. "But you two sat alone, together, staring at each other like there was no one else in the room."

"No we did not."

"Did too."

"Gail, you're exaggerating."

"Traci, it would have been sweet and romantic except my brother was looking at you like …like you -"

"Stop," Traci interrupted her. "Don't finish that sentence."

"So you're dating, huh? Look who's dating."

"Since you're being girlie and so persistent," Traci said, "but mostly because I know that Steve will tell you if he hasn't already, we're just taking it one day at a day, see where it goes."

"He really likes you, you know."

"I do," Traci replied. "Like I told you before, I like him too."

"No, he really, really likes you," Gail repeated. "I've never seen him like this before."

Traci nodded and smiled at her friend. She wasn't quite ready to admit it aloud but she really, really liked Steve Peck.

"So where's he taking you?"

"It's a surprise."

Gail laughed at the expression on Traci's face; she seemed really worried about the surprise.

000

"I can't believe you talking me into doing this."

"Talked you into doing this," Steve replied, "Traci, if I recall you forced me to do this."

They were cycling through a small wooded area forest and Traci was surprised at how much fun she was having.

"I must admit this isn't what I expected," Traci told him.

"What, you thought I take you to a movie?" Steve asked her. "On a bright sunny Saturday afternoon like this, shame on you."

"I didn't know what to expect but it was certainly not this."

"Traci, give me some credit," Steve told her. "I've been thinking about going out with you for weeks so I've had time to come up with some creative ideas."

"You succeeded, this is very different."

"Besides, if Leo had been able to join us," Steve said, "I wanted something that we could all do together."

Traci nodded; she liked that Steve didn't seem to have a problem with her being a single mother but as much as she liked him she wasn't quite ready for Steve and Leo to meet. Luckily for her Leo was staying with his grandparents for the weekend so it wasn't going to happen. Not today anyway.

"And I wanted to see you almost naked."

Traci braked suddenly and looked at Steve who was smiling at her mischievously. "You can't really ride a bike in your work clothes; I mean you could, but anyway, so I thought to myself how do I get Traci Nash almost naked without her suspecting my intentions and, drumroll please, riding a bicycle was the best idea I could come up with."

Traci couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing.

000

"So was a lot of fun, although I haven't done this much exercise in years." They had taken back the bicycles and were walking back to the lodge where they'd left the car.

"I knew this would be good for something I -" Steve began only to be silenced by Traci's lips on his. Steve had been thinking about kissing Traci for days and he had decided that he would go with the goodnight kiss. He'd pictured it in his mind, he'd walk her to the door at the end of their date and after he was sure that everything was alright at her place he'd say goodnight and give her a small kiss.

Even as he deepened their kiss Steve was smiling to himself. It was amazing how reality worked so much better than dreams in many cases. This kiss, the spontaneous, unexpected first, initiated by Traci no less, was amazing; and Steve allowed himself to be lost in it and not wonder about how it was even possible that it was happening.

000

"So how was the date?"

Traci stared at her friend, as Gail made her way past Traci into the living room.

"Great."

"Not according to my brother."

"What did he say?" Traci couldn't help the question.

"He said, and I quote, 'yes'?"

"He said that?"

"Yes," Gail replied, "what did you do to him? He's so happy, smiling, making those silly jokes that aren't funny at all."

"Really?"

"You two are as bad as each other; if I didn't love both of you I'd be plotting your demise."

000


End file.
